human skin,dermis: skin layersEncyclopædia Britannica, Inc.in human anatomy, the covering, or integument, of the body’s surface that both provides protection and receives sensory stimuli from the external environment. The skin consists of three layers of tissue: the epidermis, an outermost layer that contains the primary protective structure, the stratum corneum; the dermis, a fibrous layer that supports and strengthens the epidermis; and the subcutis, a subcutaneous layer of fat beneath the dermis that supplies nutrients to the other two layers and that cushions and insulates the body.

Distinctive features

The apparent lack of body hair immediately distinguishes human beings from all other large ... (100 of 7,043 words)